Sr. Supplier Development Engineer

SpaceX•Cape Canaveral, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

SpaceX is seeking a Sr. Supplier Development Engineer for its supply chain team supporting the Launch site and the Starship, Dragon, and Falcon programs. The role is a technical focal point for supplier manufacturing and quality matters involving flight and non-flight parts, launch-site and recovery infrastructure, and rocket and rocket-engine components. It requires practical experience in process engineering and new product development through stabilized production, particularly for machined components and assemblies. The engineer will help suppliers meet demanding quality, production-volume, and schedule expectations while addressing manufacturing and quality risks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or STEM discipline.
At least 5 years of experience with manufacturing and/or inspection of mechanical products in a production environment.
Ability to pass an Air Force background check for Cape Canaveral.
Ability to travel, with up to 60–85% of the work week potentially involving travel, including international travel.
Ability to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed to meet major milestones.
Valid driver’s license.
Must meet applicable U.S. export-control eligibility requirements or be eligible to obtain required authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in engineering.
Experience with machining and ancillary operations such as milling, turning, and fabrication, as well as vendor design-engineered systems such as pumps, valves, and actuators.
Experience interpreting engineering drawings and models, including GD&T.
Working knowledge of supplier quality processes such as PPAP, APQP, and first article inspection reports.
Knowledge of statistical techniques and methods, such as design of experiments, Lean, and Six Sigma.
Experience with quality systems such as ISO 9000, TS, AS9100, or NADCAP, and manufacturing operations systems such as MRP or ERP.
Working knowledge of problem-solving techniques such as 8D or A3.
Proficiency with MS Office, Excel, and report writing.
Proficiency in SQL and Power BI.
Experience sharing information and influencing others across organizational lines, internally and externally.

Responsibilities

Act as the technical point of contact for assigned parts or systems across flight, non-flight, launch-site, and recovery infrastructure, resolving supplier challenges and mitigating manifest risk.
Lead and coordinate containment activities to protect build and launch schedules and drive reliability improvements.
Intervene with suppliers to resolve critical-path component issues and prevent disruption to the build schedule.
Investigate assigned-part issues to root cause, implement corrective changes at suppliers and/or SpaceX, track actions to closure, and re-source where appropriate.
Create and disposition issue tickets, partnering with engineering counterparts on rework, repair, or use-as-is decisions as needed.
Develop thorough knowledge of assigned parts, systems, and assembly processes, serving as the primary contact for supply-chain-related defects on those parts.
Partner with procurement to identify and vet suppliers for quality and ability to meet aggressive takt times.
Conduct design-for-manufacturing reviews, preferably before sourcing, to ensure parts are manufacturable.
Own supplier new product introduction for new parts, drawing changes, and transfers of existing parts to new suppliers.
Drive the production part approval process to stabilize supply, reduce inspection oversight, and improve delivery time.
Collaborate across teams, lead projects, and continuously improve the supply base to drive results and customer satisfaction.
Demonstrate innovation, technical excellence, attention to detail, self-direction, and willingness to push technical boundaries.